This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Huai family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Huai Family History

Huai Surname Meaning

Chinese:: Mandarin form of the surname 懷 meaning ‘miss yearn for’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of the legendary king Wu Huai Shi (無懷氏) who lived prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) possibly from the placename Huai (懷) the name of a fief (located in Henan province) originally granted to Tang Shu Yu (Shu Yu of Tang) son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC).

(iii) possibly from Huai (懷) the posthumous title of Chu Huai Wang (楚懷王 King Huai of Chu ruler of the state of Chu died 296 BC). (iv) possibly adopted in place of another Chinese surname Wei (隗). (v) possibly traced back to Song Weizi the founder of the state of Song.

Mandarin form of the surname 淮: (i) said to be traced back to Shi Huai Fu (师淮父) a figure during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). (ii) from Huai (淮) the name of a river (also known as Huai River located in present-day Anhui province).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Huai family from?

You can see how Huai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Huai family name was found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there was 1 Huai family living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Huai's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Huai families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Huai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Huai family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Huai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Huai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Huai

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Huai. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Huai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Huai. For the veterans among your Huai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Huai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Huai family history

Discover More

What is the average Huai lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Huai ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Huai family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial